The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-12-22


fancy nickel and iron work
He sat down suddenly on the end Of hi
couch
@Now hide me-" she demanded, letting the
cloak fall of her head and piercing hin
with the largest, blacklist eyes he had eve:
seen
sGe-whfzz." calculated Steve, bracin.
himself up with his hands on the pc es a
each side of him. @Where could hide YOU
in this place? Look up. and there's th'
hoLer of the roof Look around, and there!
the logs"
whats in the trunk"
Mighty little of any thing. When
recollect what used to be in that trunk wher
l first came into the woods and what aim
in it now, it makes me feel bad"
The woman threw up the lid End crouchet
| inside. So quickly had her whiskine
drapery disappeared that Steve wondered
! if he were in one of his walking dreams
which OF summer nights sometimes lureC
| him ont of his cabin into the woods She
kept the lid moment raised to whisper
through the opening:
Don't let him get mech don't let hin
/ get mel"
ANY fellow that would chase any thing
| through this snow" observed 3 anymore,
must be keen for Il hunt You didn'5 foot
| it from the station, did ycu?"
! She had lowered the trunk lid, but raised
/ it again to make a crack through which
| she replied:
! Il waded up the mountain, into the
woods, as fast as l could wade. To hiCe
somewhere from that man"
What fellow is it," inquired Steve
The trunk lid rose again softly, and heI
voice Kissed through:
1T is satan!"
I'll bet a peck of potatoes" said Steve
that I'm dreamn' all this Ny heads as
light as feather, and it Just blows from
side to side I'll pat on another chunk OF
wood and get some light on the subject"
As he set some roots to blazing, their light
| spread over his face like wave of merri-
ment
This is more fun than going to the ball. "
he murmured Pm having Christmas doin's
right here to home Guess I'll load my
gun-lf there's huntin' tonight"
He reached for his gun-case, took out its
shining barrels, which were polished like
silver, and began to fit the parts together,
laying his cartridges ready for insertion.
The artistic part of the lone mans house
keeping was his care Of his gun. No maid
loved her ornaments more, no matron
devoted more on hair looms in sterling
silver than Steve on his gun His best
shirts had gone towards rubbing it to its
present high perfection
As before, there was first mUffied bump
against the door and then prolonged rap
ping.
Who's there?" cried the lone man The
trunk quite closed, as if its inmate pre-
ferred smothering to discovery.
The law of the State OF California" re-
turned q robust voice.
what does the law wants"
cit wants this door opened"
THE laws like me-" observed the lone
man. 1T wants heap of things it don'5
get"
There's woman in this cabin"
First time one ever saw the inside of it,
then"
Il saw the door opened"
Yes, often look Quito see what time
o. night it is" said Steve
open and let me in" commanded his be-
sieger. I'm not here to parley."
III You amt got any errand, you better
put ont again" suggested the lone man
This is my cabin and my claim 1 haint
sent ont any cards l amt 10 home"
The outsider uttered some resounding
sentences When these settled TO the level
of threatening they pointed out such IN
gers as the following:
Why, can kick your miserable door
down / can knock the chinking out of the
walls and shoot you through the cracks
can get on your roof and stamp it through "
May be you could build a better house
than I've got" said Steve, with sarcasm
You don't know what you're doing And
n-n't 70 i,,-n yuit n
man like me have the law on my side 1
want my wife out of this cabin and I'm
going to have her out"
Nice husband you must be, Mr.. Law, i"
said the lone man, " to be out with gun
tracking your wife through the snow like
as if she was a rabbit"
At this the outsider set his heel nightly
against the door The wooden bars held it;
but Steve saw them with the repeated kicks
loosen;ng in their sockets He lifted his
ready gun to his eye, but lowered it with q
growl and shake of his head He felt strong
and angry His weakness and nausea were
gone His blood shot like fire through its
courses, and he felt ready for emergency.
Emergency in the shape of big, furious
man soon burst the door IN
Now you've done it, ;" said Steve, standing
between the trunk and His antagonist, and
holding his gun up. you see what I've got
for you"
The strangers eyes were glowing, and
his breath short with the effort he had
made. Snow, driving behind him, whirled
far into the cabin He held his hands in
the pockets of tremendous great coat He
and Steve, like knights who have just
shocked in tournament stood staring at
each other without moving muscle. The
stranger finally withdrew his gaze for one
sweep sround the cabin
where is she:"
Don't LEI us have no more trouble"
reasoned Steve. You amt goin' to get her
if she don't want you TO. She asst me to
stand between, and I'm going to do it ="
All the uncontrolled passions of the pur-
suer blazed in his face That pair of black
eyes, staring through 9 minute crack in the
trunk, saw him snatch his right hand from
his pocket and fling 1t forward and the butt
end of Steves gun simultaneously striking
it back The pistol report was in his own
brain She never had q doubt of what was
done The whole thing was distinct posi-
tive, swift, like bolt of lightning down the
sky The mans body came down with
thump upon Steve's earthen floor
Before Steve's mind received an impress
sion, quite minute before he could frame
words with his lips she YVES cut Of the